Method and apparatus for leading a user through a software installation procedure via interaction with displayed graphs

Abstract

The invention leads a user through an application program procedure via interactions with displayed information. A method incorporating the invention first displays maps (i.e., flow charts) of tasks required to be accomplished during the application procedure. The maps include various graphical icons, each of which provides an indication of job execution status; job names that are associated with at least some of the graphical icons; and connectors between the job names which designate an execution relationship therebetween. During the application program procedure, the presentation of a graphical icon is modified to indicate a readiness of an associated job to execute. Thereafter, the user selects the associated job for execution by entering a selection signal. The graphical icon's presentation is modified to indicate completion of execution of the associated job and the presentations of one or more connectors are modified to indicate a completion of execution. A preferred application of the method of the invention is to an application program which enables installation of a complex software system such as a database, on a mainframe computer.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for leading a user through a procedure on a computer via interactions with information presented on a display, comprising the steps of: 
       a) displaying a map of a plurality of tasks in a plurality of paths that must each be traversed by said user during said procedure, said map comprising (1) for each of said plurality of tasks, an associated graphical icon that indicates a task execution status, and (2) graphical connectors between said graphical icons that designate an execution relationship between said plurality of tasks;  
       b) controlling program flow through said procedure in accordance with a selection, by said user, of one of said plurality of tasks from said map; and  
       c) modifying said graphical icon associated with said selected task.  
     
     
       2. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein step c) modifies said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       3. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein step c) modifies said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate an executing status of said selected task. 
     
     
       4. The method as recited in claim  1 , further comprising modifying said graphical icons in different forms to indicate that a (i) task is in a neutral state, (ii) task is ready to execute, (iii) task is queued, (iv) task is running, (v) task completed unsuccessfully, or (vi) task ran with errors. 
     
     
       5. The method as recited in claim  1 , further comprising modifying a presentation of said graphical connectors to indicate an overall progress in execution of said procedure. 
     
     
       6. The method as recited in claim  1 , further comprising modifying a presentation of a connector to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       7. The method as recited in claim  6 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a color attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       8. The method as recited in claim  6 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a thickness attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       9. The method as recited in claim  1 , further comprising, before said controlling step, the step of modifying a presentation of one of said graphical icons to indicate a readiness to execute of an associated task. 
     
     
       10. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein said graphic connectors indicate which of said plurality of tasks are next to be commenced. 
     
     
       11. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein members of said plurality of tasks that can be executed in any order with respect to one another are displayed along a same row, and members of said plurality of tasks that have a definite order of execution with respect to each other are displayed in a connected column. 
     
     
       12. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein said procedure comprises a software installation procedure. 
     
     
       13. The method as recited in claim  1 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks comprises a first path comprising a first subset of said plurality of tasks, and a second path in parallel with said first path and comprising a second subset of said plurality of tasks. 
     
     
       14. The method as recited in claim  13 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks further comprises a subsequent task, and wherein said first subset of said plurality of tasks and said second subset of said plurality of tasks must be completed before commencement of said subsequent task. 
     
     
       15. A memory media for controlling a computer to lead a user through a procedure via interactions with information presented on a display, comprising: 
       a) means for controlling said computer to display a map of a plurality of tasks in a plurality of paths that must each be traversed by said user during said procedure, said map comprising (1) for each of said plurality of tasks, an associated graphical icon that indicates a task execution status, and (2) graphical connectors between said graphical icons that designate an execution relationship between said plurality of tasks;  
       b) means for controlling said computer to control program flow through said procedure in accordance with a selection, by said user, of one of said plurality of tasks from said map; and  
       c) means for controlling said computer to modify said graphical icon associated with said selected task.  
     
     
       16. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein means c) causes modification of said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       17. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein means c) causes modification of said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate an executing status of said selected task. 
     
     
       18. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , further comprising means for controlling said computer to display said graphical icons in different forms to indicate that a (i) task is in a neutral state, (ii) task is ready to execute, (iii) task is queued, (iv) task is running, (v) task completed unsuccessfully, or (vi) task ran with errors. 
     
     
       19. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , further comprising means for controlling said computer to display a presentation of said graphical connectors to indicate an overall progress in execution of said procedure. 
     
     
       20. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , further comprising means for controlling said computer to modify a presentation of a connector to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       21. The memory media as recited in claim  20 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a color attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       22. The memory media as recited in claim  20 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a thickness attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       23. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks comprises a first path comprising a first subset of said plurality of tasks, and a second path in parallel with said first path and comprising a second subset of said plurality of tasks. 
     
     
       24. The memory media as recited in claim  23 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks further comprises a subsequent task, and wherein said first subset of said plurality of tasks and said second subset of said plurality of tasks must be completed before commencement of said subsequent task. 
     
     
       25. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , further comprising means for controlling said computer to modify a presentation of one of said graphical icons to indicate a readiness to execute of an associated task. 
     
     
       26. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein said graphic connectors indicate which of said plurality of tasks are next to be commenced. 
     
     
       27. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein members of said plurality of tasks that can be executed in any order with respect to one another are displayed along a same row, and members of said plurality of tasks that have a definite order of execution with respect to each other are displayed in a connected column. 
     
     
       28. The memory media as recited in claim  15 , wherein said procedure comprises a software installation procedure. 
     
     
       29. A computer system comprising: 
       a display;  
       a memory including instructions for controlling the computer system to lead a user through a procedure via interactions with information shown on said display; and  
       a central processor unit (CPU) for operating in conjunction with said instructions and said display, said CPU:  
       a) causing said display to show a map of a plurality of tasks in a plurality of paths that must each be traversed by said user during said procedure, said map comprising (1) for each of said plurality of tasks, an associated graphical icon that indicates a task execution status, and (2) graphical connectors between said graphical icons that designate an execution relationship between said plurality of tasks;  
       b) controlling program flow through said procedure in accordance with a selection, by said user, of one of said plurality of tasks from said map; and  
       d) causing said display to modify said graphical icon associated with said selected task.  
     
     
       30. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said computer causes said display to modify said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       31. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said CPU causes said display to modify said graphical icon associated with said selected task to indicate an executing status of said selected task. 
     
     
       32. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said CPU causes said display to display said graphical icons in different forms to indicate that a (i) task is in a neutral state, (ii) task is ready to execute, (iii) task is queued, (iv) task is running, (v) task completed unsuccessfully, or (vi) task ran with errors. 
     
     
       33. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said CPU causes said display to modify a presentation of said graphical connectors to indicate an overall progress in execution of said procedure. 
     
     
       34. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said CPU controls said display to modify a presentation of a connector to indicate a completion of execution of said selected task. 
     
     
       35. The computer system as recited in claim  34 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a color attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       36. The computer system as recited in claim  34 , wherein said modifying of said presentation of a connector is accomplished by modifying a thickness attribute that is assigned thereto. 
     
     
       37. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks comprises a first path comprising a first subset of said plurality of tasks, and a second path in parallel with said first path and comprising a second subset of said plurality of tasks. 
     
     
       38. The computer system of claim  37 , wherein said map of said plurality of tasks further comprises a subsequent task, and wherein said first subset of said plurality of tasks and said second subset of said plurality of tasks must be completed before commencement of said subsequent task. 
     
     
       39. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said CPU modifies a presentation of one of said graphical icons to indicate a readiness to execute of an associated task. 
     
     
       40. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said graphic connectors indicate which of said plurality of tasks are next to be commenced. 
     
     
       41. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein members of said plurality of tasks that can be executed in any order with respect to one another are displayed along a same row, and members of said plurality of tasks that have a definite order of execution with respect to each other are displayed in a connected column. 
     
     
       42. The computer system as recited in claim  29 , wherein said procedure comprises a software installation procedure.